Gas lighter and extinguisher.



H. G. MEAD.

GAS LIGHTER AND EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2. I914.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

/ l 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

THE COLUMBIA PunjoaRAPH 120., WASHINGTON, D. c.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ji zua THE COLUMBIA PMNOGRAPH ct, WASHING no s " FFEQE.

ncwann G. MEAD, or snnnwsnunv PARK, MISSOURI-,IASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF 'ro JAMES J, -I-IARTLEY, or ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

GAS LIGHTER Ann nxrnvsui'snnii.

and State of Missouri, have invented oer-- tainnew and useful Improvements in Gas Lighters and Extinguishers, :of which the' following is a specification.

This invention relates to gas lighters and extinguishers and has for its object to provide a device of that character which is simple in construction, efiicient in operation, economical in use, and which may readily be installed in connection with a gas burner or burners ordinarily provided for lighting a house or the like.

A further object of this inventionis to provide an electrically operated gas lighter and extinguisher which may be operated by means of push buttons or the like located at adistance from the burner or burners to be lighted and extinguished.

Another object is to provide an electrically operated gas lighter and extinguisher having an electrically operated valve mechanism adapted to control the flow of gas to the burner.

An advantage of the present invention is that the device herein described may readily be installed in connection with the ordinary gas lighting system and that a burner equipped with the device embodying the.

present invention may be lighted and extinguished at a distance therefrom economically as quickly and conveniently as is an electric light which may be lighted and extinguished by means of a wall switch or the like.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification wherein like numbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur, Figure l is a view partly in plan and partly in section showing the valve mechanism for controlling the flow of gas to a burner, the electro-magnets for operating same, and parts associated with said mechanism attached to a gas burner supply pipe; Fig. 2 is a topplan view looking down upon Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the valve shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4: is a cross sectional view on the line e-e, Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical view showing a system of electric circuits for operating the lighter and extinguisher embodying the present invention.

Specificationpf Letters Patent;

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

i 7 Application filed Decem'ber'Z, 1914. Serial No. 875,182.

Two oppositely disposed electro-magnets 1 and 2 are'spaced sufficiently apart by 7 means of hollow member'3 to permit valve l to operate therebetween in controlling the flow of gas to burner o, the hollow portion of the said member 3 being adapted to form agas-chamber between said two magnets.-

Llectro-magnet 1 may have ts core 6 formed of a pipe or tubing of any suitable metal for the purpose, such, for instance, as soft iron, said tube having its channel 7 adapted to connect the hollow portion of member 3 with the channel of gas supplypipe 8, an end of said core protruding beyond an end of said magnet and being connected to an adjacentend-of said gas supplypipe 8 by any suitable means, such, for in-..

stance, as by means of union 9, there being the usual coil end-plates 10'and 11 composed of any suitable insulating material, such, for instance, as vulcanized rubber.

Magnet 2 may be constructed similarly to magnet 1, and tubular core 12 of magnet 2 is adapted to provide communication by means of itschannel'13 between the hollow portion of member 3 and the burner-bearing pipe 141, an end of said core protruding beyond an end of said magnet 2 and being connected to an adjacent end of said burnerbearing pipe by any suitable means, such, for instance. as bymeans of coupling 15, there being the usual coil end-plates 16 and 17, similar to the end-plates 10 and 11 above described.

Valve 41 may be slidably supported, preferablv in a vertical position, in the gaschamber of hollow member 3 by means of a bearing 18, said bearing being secured to the inner wall of member 3 in any suitable manner, and may divide the gas-chamber of said member 3 into two substantially equal portions, as shown in Fig. 1, and communication between said two portions of said gas-chamber may be established by means of a plurality of perforations 19 through said bearing 18. Valve 4e is adapted to form an armature for magnets 1 and'2, and may be constructed of any suitable material for that purpose,,such, for instance, as soft iron, and may have a central portion 20 composed ofbrass or any other non-magnetic material, the head end :21 and the valve-bearing end 22 of said valve 4 being secured to adjacent portions means, such, for instance, as by means of being forced upon shoulders 23 and 24,'respectively, of said central portion 20.

Valve-bearing end 22 may be a conical valve, as shown in the drawings, adapted to seat in conical valve-seat 25, said valve-seat being borne by the adjacent end of core 12, and said valve being adapted normally to seat in said valve-seat by gravity to shut off the flow of gas from the gas-chamber of hollow member 3 to burner 5.

A spring member 26 may be. borne by a surface of said bearing 18 adjacent to the head end 21 of the valve 4, said spring-member having a latch-portion 27 adapted to en gage a notch or annular groove 28, said notch or annular groove being near the end of head end 21 of valve 4 opposite magnet 1, said latch-portion 27 of said springmember being adapted to support said valve 4 mechanically in unseated position in relation to its valve-seat 25 when said valve is drawn toward magnet 1, as hereinafter described, said latch-portion 27 being adapted, also, to limit the motion of said valvetoward magnet 1 so that the end of head end 21 of said valve may not'come in contact with the adjacent end of core 6 and may not close channel 7 of said core. Moreover, spring-member 26 maybe provided with an inwardly-turned portion 29 adjacent to latch-portion 26, said inwardlyturned portion 29 being adapted more posi-' tively to limit said movement of said valve toward said magnet 1, the purpose of the mechanism provided for limiting said movement being to provide at all times egress or" gas from channel 7 into the gas-chamber of hollow member 3 and to prevent the end of head end portion 21 of valve 4 from closing the opening of said channel.

A casing 30 adapted to inclose the valve mechanism and associated parts above 'described may be provided and may be held in place by means of a plurality of screws 31 attaching said casing to end plates 10 and 17. An opening 32 may be provided in end plate 10 to permit the passage from without into casing 30 to magnets 1 and 2 of wires 33 necessary for electrically wiring said magnets.

Burner 5 is provided with the usual means for producing a spark, which means may be a member 34 made of platinum or any other suitable material and attached to said burner in an appropriate position by any suitable means, such, for instance, as by means of a band 35 about gas pipe 14 and a screw 36, there being an insulating member 37 of mica or any other suitable material interposed between said pipe and said band. 7

Referring particularly to Fig. 5 showing a diagrammatical view of a system of electri *al circuits used in operating the device embodying the present invention, 38 is a battery, 39jis a push-button whereby the normally-open circuit for igniting burner 5 may be closed, 40 is a push-button whereby the normally-open circuit for extinguishing a light at burner 5 may be closed, and 41 is the spark-coil for producing the spark at member 34 for igniting gas issuing from burner 5 when push-button 39 is manipulated to close the circuit for lighting said burner.

W hen button 39 is pressed to close the circuit. for lighting burner 5,- two circuits are synchronously closed, onein the course of the arrows with the solid-line shafts energizing magnet 1, and the other in the course of thearrows with the feathered shafts passing throughsparking-coil 41 and producing the ignition spark from member 3-4 to burner 5. l Vhen button 40 ispressed to close the circuit for extinguishing the light at burner 5, a circuit is closed in the course of the arrows with the dotted shafts ener gizing magnet 2.

Normally the position of valve 4 is that shown by the solid lines in Fig. 1, whereby said valve is seated in its seat 25, thus shu ting oil the flow of gas through channel 13 to burner 5. When it is desired to light said burner, button 39 is pressed to close the lighting circuit, whereupon magnet 1, is energized, which, acting'upon its armature, valve 4, draws said valve toward said magnet 1 and 'nnseats said valve from its seat 25,

permi ting gas to flow from the gas-chain member coming in contact with the end or" head end poruion 21 of said valve, button 39 having been released, valve 4 will be held mechanically by means of said latch portion in unseated'position, shown by the dotted lines in Fig. l, in such manner that gas will continue to flow through channel 7 into an adjacent portion of the gas-chamber in hollow member 3, thence through perforations 19 to the portion of said gas-chamber adjacent to the valve-seat 25, into channel 13, and to burner synchronously with the closing of the circuit which energizes magnet 1, and by the samepressure upon said button 39, a circuit is closed which energizes sparking-coll 41 and produces an ignition spark from member 34 to gas issuing from burner 5, thus igniting said gas. 7

It is, of course, understood that it is necessary to close the igniting circuit and the circuit for energizing magnet 1 only momentarily, for as soon as magnet 1 has drawn valve 4 to unseatetl position and the ignition spark has ignited burner 5, pressure upon button 39 for closing said circuits may be removed, whereupon said circuits will be broken and magnet l and sparking-coil 41 will no longer be energized, while valve 4 will be mechanically held in the position shown bydotted lines in Fig. 1, as l1ereinabove described.

When it is desired to extinguish the light at burner 5, button 40 may be momentarily pressed to close the extinguishing circuit shown by the dotted arrows in Fig. 5, thus energizing magnet 2, which will draw valve *Il toward its seat and out of supporting engagement with the latch-portion of springmemberib, whereupon said .valve resuming its normal position seated in valve-seat and being held in that position by. the force of gravity, the flow of gas to burner 5 will be cut on and the light will be extinguished.

A as-lighter and extinguisher embodying the present invention may be employed to V ignite and extinguish a single burner, or a plurality of burners forming one chandelier may be ignited and extinguished simultaneously thereby, each burner on said chandelier being equipped with an igniter 34 connected with the spark-coil and magnet circuit adapted to be closed and broken by manipulating push-button 39. Also, a plurality of chandeliers or individual lights upon one floor of a house or building or throughout an entire building may be equipped as hereinabove described and connected on the same igniting, magnet-energizing, and extinguishing circuit, so that all the said lights may be ignited simultaneously and extinguished simultaneously by the manipulation of one set of push-buttons 39 and 40, respectively, placed in any convenient location. Moreover, the gas burners of an entire village, town, city, or any portion thereof, may be simultaneously lighted and simultaneously extinguished from a central station by means of the present invention.

Various changes in construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the nature and spirit of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A gas-lighter and extinguisher consisting of a pair of oppositely-disposed electromagnets, each magnet having a hollow core, one end or each hollow core being attached to an adjacent end of the gas supply-pipe intermediate the source of gas supply and the burner, a hollow member supported between said magnets, said hollow member being adapted to form a gas-chamber between said magnets, each of said hollow cores beinn adapted to open into said chamber, a valve in said chamber, said valve being adapted normally to be seated in the open ing of one of said cores in closed position with reference to the flow of gas to said burner, one end of said valve being adapted to form the armature for the magnet adiaeentthereto and the other end of said valve being adapted to form an armature for the magnet adjacent thereto, guiding means adapted, also, releasably to support said valve mechanically in open position, and releasable means for energizing the other of said magnets for drawing said valve toward said other magnet to restore said valve to normal closed position.

2. In a gas-lighter and extinguisher, the combination, with three electric circuits normally broken, of a pair of oppositely-dispo sed electro-magnets supported by the gas supply-pipe intermediate the burner and the source of gas supply, a hollow member sup ported between said magnets, said hollow member being adapted to form a gas-chamber between said magnets, each of said magnets having a hollow core adapted to connect the bore of said supply-pipe with said chamber, a valve in said chamber adapted normally to be seated in an adjacent end of one of said cores in closed position with reference to the flow of gas from said cham ber to said burner, guiding means borne by the inner wall of said chamber, said guiding means being adapted to support said valve slidably between said magnets, a spark-coil adapted to produce a spark at said burner, means for releasably closing two of said circuits synchronously for energizing one of said magnets for drawing said valve toward said magnet to open position and for energizing said spark-coil, a spring-pressed member within said chamber adapted releasably to support said valve in open position and, also, to limit the movement of said valve toward said magnet, and means for releasably closing the third circuit for energizing the other magnet for restoring said valve from open position to its normal closed position.

3. In a gas-lighter and extinguisher, the combination, with three electric circuits normally broken, of a pair of oppositely-disposed electro-magnets, each magnet having a hollow core, one end of each core being attached to an adjacent end of the gas supply-pipe intermediate said burner and the source of gas supplv, a hollow member supported between said magnets, said member being adapted to form a gas-chamber between said magnets, each of said hollow cores being adapted to open into said chamber, a slidable member in said chamber, guidingmeans borne by the innerwall of said chamber adapted to support said member slidably between said magnets, a valve borne by one end of said member, said valve being adapted normally to be seated in the opening of one of said cores in closed posi tion with reference to the flow of gas from said chamber to said burner, said valve being adapted, also, to form an armature for the magnet adjacent thereto, a head borne by the other end of said member, said head being adapted to form an armature for the magnet adjacent thereto, a spark-coil adapted to produce a spark at said burner, closing means common to two circuits adapted for synchronously closing same releasably for energizing one magnet for drawing said head toward said magnet to open said valve and for energizing said spark-coil, spring-pressed means within said chamber adapted releasably to engage said head to support'said valve in open position and adapted, also, to limit the movement of said head toward said magnet, and means adapted for releasably closing the third circuit for energizing the other magnet for drawing said valve toward said other magnet from open position to its normal closed position.

42- A device of the character described comprising in combination with a gas supply, a casing in said gas supply, oppositely disposed magnets carried interiorly of the casing, hollow cores for the magnets and communicating the casing with the gas supply, a sliding armature having one of its ends tapered for engagement'with one of the hollow cores to cut off the flow of gas to the casing and having an annular groove at its opposite end, and resilient means for engagement with said' annular groove to support the tapered end of the armature out of contact with the hollow core to permit the flow of gas to the casing.

5. A device of the character described comprising in combination with a gas sup ply, a casing in said gas supply, oppositely disposed magnets carried interiorly of the casing, hollow cores for the magnets'and communicating the casing with the gas supply, a hollow member between the magnets, a guide block in the hollow member, means supported-by the guide block for restricting the vertical movement of the valve, said means adapted to support the armature out of contact withone of the hollow cores.

6. In combination with a park coil, a gas burner and electric circuits, a gas lighter and extinguisher comprising a casing, spaced electromagnets in the casing, a hollow core forming a partof each magnet, a hollow member between the electromagnets, a bearing member in the hollow member, a valve operating in the bearing member, said valve having an annular groove, means for closing a circuit for moving the valve vertically and simultaneously energizing the spark coil for causing a spark at the burner, resilient means supported by the bearing member and in the path of upward travel of the valve, said resilient member adapted to engage the walls of the. annular groove of the valve for supporting the valve in a raised position, and means for closing a circuit for energizing the other magnet for moving the valve to its normal position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HOWARD G. MEAD.

Witnesses:

NANCY C. THOMAS, GLADYS WALTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

